it’s not every day that you have the pleasure of recreating your boyfriend’s favorite sweet treat, so in honor of said momentous occasion, and because i actually really love taking pictures of food (gives me a break from all of the selfies), i employed S’s canon and documented the entire cookie-baking-and-subsequent-decorating process of grandma’s famous lemon sugar cookies this weekend -from ingredients compilation to final icing swipe.

since the recipe itself is a family tradition, i’m keeping the exact measurements a secret. but i will tell you that there is enough crisco in these babies (in the dough and icing) to coat more than just a baking pan (and that’s why they taste so good). and yes i would know as i ate not one but TWO of them thankyouverymuch (sometimes you just have to say “what gluten intolerance?”).

but more importantly, i will also tell you that the entire afternoon (and parts of the evening) S and i spent making the dough, rolling it out, using his impressive arsenal of cookie cutters, baking them, and finally icing, decorating, and eating them was one of the more special moments we’ve had in our 5-month relationship. being able to partake in one of S’s family’s long-standing holiday traditions not only made me feel more connected to him, but also reminded me why this time of year is just a bit more wonderful than the rest.